Last year at the end of March, I got my nipples pierced. I was on Spring Break with some friends, and in another state. I was the last one of my group of friends to get their nipples pierced. However, the day I went, not only was I severely hung-over from a previous night of partying at the ocean, but I felt a little uncomfortable as to where we were going; since I knew nothing about the parlor or piercer. I only knew what I was constantly being reassured of by one of my friends who had been driving me to the parlor. "Everything will be okay, this is where I got mine done. Don't worry about it." But I did worry a little bit, since it would be the first time (and last time) I got a piercing in a parlor I have never been to, heard of, and knew almost nothing of.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When A month ago With that slight feeling of being uncomfortable, I should've known better to take things slow at the parlor - to look around and ask questions. I also felt a little more uncomfortable being the only girl there. The parlor I go to has all women workers, which makes me feel 100% comfortable. I knew I could trust my friend, but I still felt uneasy being topless with my 34Gs hanging out, in a room with three men not much older than myself, in which two of them being complete strangers.
I told the piercer that I wanted them pierced at a 14ga, even though that was the usual standard - but I just wanted this done well, since it is my body after all. After only getting a slight, preoccupied nod in response, I really shouldn't have just gone along with the nod and persisted for a 'real' answer.
The procedure went fairly well, though. He took a long time to make sure the dots were even. He told me what to expect and to stay very still. The clamp part was a little uncomfortable but nothing major. When it came time for the needle, I closed my eyes...but it didn't hurt one bit; although I bled like there was no tomorrow.
I was very happy with my nipple piercings - in which I showed them off almost every night at some party or another during Spring Break. Months later, I wanted to change my jewelry. I went to where I have gotten al of my other piercings to buy my new jewelry - and so they could help me put it in. After finding the most adorable purple gem horse shoe dangle to attach to a barbell... I found out that my piercings were a 16ga. The lady who was going to put them in for me asked if I wanted her to gauge them for me or just find a barbell that will fit. I opted for the barbell that would fit the jewelry.
It wasn't until that moment of most adorable jewelry not-fitting, that I regretted the place I got my nipples pierced at; because the piercer obviously didn't listen to my request of gauge. If anyone reading this is new at piercings – and you have a bad feeling about a place/time/piercer, don't go through with it. Ask questions and be persistent. You have the right to – it's your body after all. You can always re-schedule or even go somewhere else.
At the end of November, I had taken my roommate to get her tongue pierced, and I was going to get my nipples to the proper 14ga. We went to my same parlor of choice; since my roommate only had her lobes pierced from a mall booth, she trusted her tongue to where I trusted my nipples. The gauging was only a minor pinch - more than I felt when it was pierced. And I was happy with the right size in me.
But, about a month later before hopping in the shower, I noticed that my left jewelry might have migrated. I kept a close eye on it, and mid-January I decided to take out the left ring, because it was getting too close to the surface. At the end of January, when school started back up, my boyfriend took me to the parlor to get my right nipple looked at since I was scared that one was beginning to migrate and reject as well.
The piercer told me that it would be safest to take it out. And if I wanted to, to come back in a few months and they would re-do it for me. But instead of the usual metal barbell, or D-ring she would use tygon. She informed me that tygon had a much lower rejection rate.
It's mid-March, and my nipples look and fell so weird with out anything through them. I really want to get them done again, but I'm afraid of them rejecting again. I want to get more information on tygon and if it's right for me. What if it does reject again? What are the chances of them rejecting again? But then again, how will I know with out trying? I'll wait and see another month or so, because even though it's been about two months since I took my jewelry out, I still feel that a part of me is missing. It gave me a little extra confidence; it was like my little secret (for the most part). But still, I don't feel the same with out my nipple piercings.
I am still pending on getting them re-done, but I know that I want to get them done at my choice of place with the people I know and trust. I can only hope that tygon is right for me and that I will be able to have my nipple piercings for as long as I want to enjoy them.